Players ALWAYS have to sit out one year if:
* They are officially enrolled in school.
* Received athletic financial aid/ Scholarship (there are a few extra rules tacked onto this)
* The student doesn't qualify as a grad-transfer (the student has graduated, can transfer his last year)

(There are a few 'hardship' loopholes but they are very hard for players to qualify for)

This new 'Notification-of-transfer' model requires that the school enter the player's information into a national transfer database within two days of the student saying they want to transfer. With the previous rule, players had to get permission before they could contact other schools (or receive a scholarship after the transfer).

The 4-game rule only deals with the Red-Shirt rules... If a player red-shirts (only plays in 4 games) he will still have to sit out a year (unless as noted above, he wasn't on scholarship).

Here are some examples:
* Quin Ficklin - Transfers from BYU to USU. Does not have to sit out a year because he was NOT on scholarship.
* Dylan Collie - Graduated, could transfer his last year to BYU.

Everybody else... HAS TO SIT A YEAR.

To make things even more confusing.. an NLI (National Letter of Intent) transfer is completely different than an NCAA transfer. The NLI locks a player to a school from the time they 'sign' until they actually Enroll. This is to stop a player from changing his/her mind between signing day and starting school. (or for missionaries.. the 2 years they are away)

If a player has signed an NLI and wants to transfer, they have to get a release from the school. If they get a release they don't have to sit out a year. If they don't get released, they have to sit. Once a student enrolls in school the NLI is satisfied, and the NCAA rules take over.

* Joe Tukuafu - Never enrolled at USU but signed an NLI. USU didn't release him so he had to sit.